How to unclog a dishwasher?

Step 1: Find out why your dishwasher is clogged

Your dishwasher can get clogged for several reasons. The most common problem with a clogged dishwasher is that the dishwasher drain becomes clogged due to too much food particles getting stuck in it. Also, if there is a kink in the drain hose, your dishwater can’t drain properly.

In both cases, a cloudy residue of water remains in your dishwasher. After a while, this will start to smell, which is definitely not pleasant in the kitchen!

For the first step, you should therefore check both the filter and the drain hose and clean them properly. First, hold the filter under running water for a while and when all the dirt has been rinsed off, place it in a bowl of boiling hot water. Sprinkle soda into the water when it has cooled down a bit and after 15 minutes you can take the filter out again. You should rinse the filter well before putting it back in.

Step 2: Cleaning the Clogged Dishwasher Filter

So for the first step, you need to clean the clogged filter well. First, hold the filter under running water for a while and when all the dirt is rinsed off, place it in a bowl of boiling hot water. Sprinkle soda into the water when it has cooled down a bit and after 15 minutes you can take the filter out again. You should rinse the filter well before putting it back in.

Step 3: Cleaning the Clogged Drain Hose

If the clog is in your dishwasher’s drain hose, you will need to unclog it first. Every dishwasher works differently, so always check your owner’s manual.

To find out if you’re dealing with a clogged drain, take a long object. Move it through the hose and look for blockages. In most cases you can use the long object to pull out the blockage, or you can pour boiling water with baking soda and vinegar into the dishwasher to loosen the blockage and flush it out.

Step 4: Cleaning out the clogged drain pump

Also, too much food particles can clog your dishwasher. Before removing this part, you should also refer to the instruction manual first, otherwise you risk damaging your drain dishwasher.

Please also keep in mind that the drain pump can be clogged with anything and you may not be able to see it right away. So put on safety gloves just to be sure, there could be pieces of glass in the drain hose as well as food residue.

You then clean the drain pump thoroughly with boiling water to remove even the most stubborn food residue. You can use a mild detergent to do this, but you will need to rinse it off well afterwards.

Step 5: Unclogging Your Sink

A problem with a clogged dishwasher doesn’t always have to be in the appliance itself, your sink can also be clogged, preventing your dishwasher water from draining properly.

To unclog your sink, sprinkle some baking soda into the sink, which you rinse away with boiling water after five minutes. This should loosen the clog and dissolve it.

Step 6: Check if your dishwasher is working properly again

To make sure the problem is fixed, turn on your dishwasher. Do not do this if there is still a layer of water in the machine. You run the risk of too much water entering the machine, which will cause a leak.

Step 7: Prevent your dishwasher from clogging

You can also prevent a clog instead of fixing it, here we have collected a few helpful tips. As mentioned earlier, the most common cause of a clogged dishwasher is that the filter and drain hose become clogged. You can prevent this by always rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. This rinses away the worst of the food, preventing it from sticking.

Always use the right dishwasher tablets, too. These can clean your machine on the inside, which will prevent limescale from forming. You can also clear blockages by cleaning your dishwasher regularly. Wipe the spray arms regularly, clean the inside of the dishwasher and regularly flush boiling water down the drainpipe.